Maryland and Syracuse both played at noon Saturday, games televised on networks available to me, and I was ready with m flatscreen for the Orange vs. Central Michigan on ESPN News and my iPad for the Terps vs. West Virginia on the Big Ten Network.
The Syracuse game kicked off first.
Another new look for the Syracuse Orange football uniform.
And I stared hard and I said, is this the Syracuse game?
Then the Maryland game kicked off.
Every Maryland uniform read Triumph on the back.
And I stared hard and said, is this the Maryland game?
My alma mater and hometown squads had changed their looks. Again. Oh, these days of multiple college football uniforms.
Syracuse, backed by Nike, went with a rather plain white jersey with a white helmet adorned with a Orange S. I got used to it quickly and rather liked it.
Maryland went with what the announcers explained was their Triumph uniform, donned in honor of a big anniversary for the lyrics penned in Baltimore by Francis Scott Key. The word triumph, you see, was written by the patriot that scary night by did not make it into our National Anthem. It did, however, make it onto the back of every Maryland uniform this game instead of the player’s name. Maryland, backed by Under Armour, which happened to be created and is owned by a former Terp football player, has become known for its rather garish four-colored look that mirrors the state flag. What was mostly red and white in my school years now more readily includes gold and black, too.
In my years living in Maryland, the most famous alternate jersey I recall was the ACC Tournament switch to all gold that spurred a whipping of Ralph Sampson’s Virginia Cavaliers in the nearby Cap Centre. It sure looked beautiful to my eyes in the semifinals on that March day.
This Triumph uniform was better looking than some my Terps have worn of late.
So, on the games went, with Syracuse throttling the home Chippewas 40-3 to thoroughly turn around for the season-opening double-overtime stinker of an escape against Villanova. The rubber-banding Maryland game ended up with the Terps losing a 40-37 thriller in College Park when West Virginia kicked a 44-yard field goal as time expired. Dart to my heart.
Maryland visits the Carrier Dome Saturday, 2-1 to the Orange’s 2-0.
It will be a Syracuse team that just put up 40 points against a Maryland team that just gave up 40 points. Maryland scored 37; Villanova moved the ball on the ground and in the air against the Orange in the Dome opener three weeks ago, and Maryland has several dangerous wide receivers. Remember the names Stephon Diggs and Deon Long.
Both teams could score many, many points. Or not. They’re both likely to be up-and-down squads this entire season. It’s hard to predict what will come from teams that both could be on the bubble again to win the six games needed to make a bowl game.
As I’ve documented here previously, I’ll wear neutral colors and bite my tongue all afternoon long. Tuition checks trump season ticket checks. I’ve toyed with getting that printed on a T-shirt, but, nah. I figure I’ll watch in seesawing emotions in any case, because no matter what, one of my squads will win and one of my squads will lose.
I hope they’ll both look sharp.
Which look above do you like better, Syracuse or Maryland? What’s your favorite uniform look of all? Do you prefer your team to stick with one uniform all season, or change it up from game to game?
Mark Bialczak 
The way I pick sports is first – the ones with the prettiest uniforms, and second, the ones with the best names and third, if the guys are cute! LOL! I’m sure that drives sports people like you crazy! 😀
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This is the perfect comment for my post about uniforms, Rachel, so how could it drive me crazy? 🙂
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LOL! Thank you, Mark! Most sports enthusiasts don’t get how I don’t get sports. 🙂
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The Houston Astros changed up their uniforms this year and I like them a lot better. Normally, my vote is keep them the same, Man!
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The Astros have had some that are out of this world, but, really, they only really looked good on Nolan Ryan. Ha! I made a funny!! Sorry, Aud. Couldn’t help it. Some of the Astros uniforns over the decades have been too colorful for my liking.
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Ha. I don’t like the Astros really. I’m a Cardinals fan. I like NR jokes…
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Another Cardinals fan. Many of my friends who grew up in the midwest are Cardinals fans, Aud. Good choice. Always battled my Mets in the 80s.
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I’m a huge fan. They may be the midwest’s fav team, as we don’t have a lot to choose from in the NE area. Rockies and Royals are a mess…
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And go you K-State. Beat Auburn tonight, will ya, Red?
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From your lips to God’s ears, Chum! KSU!!
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Your beloved NY Yankees (LOL) Mr Bialczak. Classic uni’s never change.
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I will give the Yankees that, Mike. I surely will. I am softening in my old age, it appears.
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Notre Dame!
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The Fighting Irish have been known to change up the uniforms, I seem to recall, Austin.
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Yes, they had their special Leprechaun Showdown unis on last week…
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How about a pictorial of worst Orange and Turtle Uni’s blog leading into the big game?
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Nah, I don’t want to make anybody ill.
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i am a fan of the throwbacks as well, but not a fan of the frequent change ups for the novelty and the sake of it. i like the classics and am happy with that. good luck mark, with your win and loss )
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Thanks, Beth, regarding Saturday’s Maryland-Syracuse/Syracuse-Maryland game. I have been looking forward to/dreading this game for a long time. 🙂 😦
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One uniform! I liked Syracuse better. I tend to like darker uniforms better than the light ones.
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Yes, one and done, Colleen. (But Syracuse had the white one and Maryland had a darker one ………..) 🙂
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I know….but if there was a gold like color….not one of my favorites….. I’m fickle like that.
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The fickle finger of uniform selection. Now I get it! Good call, Colleen.
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I love the Maryland look over the Syracuse look. I think that Maryland should be respected for being a traditional uniform. I think the Syracuse look is almost too modern and bright. But I feel that way sometimes when I see the bright orange on the Cleveland Browns team. My good old alma mater had orange and black, we were the BGSU Falcons, Mark, I think the last time I was there for Homecoming, I wore my orange and black zip-up sweatshirt over my white, orange and black t-shirt. It was fun, but almost 4 years ago, since I was in the BG stadium, Mark. I did make it to a Cleveland Indian’s game and will always think that Chief Wahoo looks like an idiot, preferring the lettering of Indians over the logo. Wish they could have just adjusted this awhile ago, since it is still controversial among Native Americans, they protest off and off, up there in Cleveland…
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Thank for the compliment on my alma mater’s uniforms from last Saturday, Robin. I like Bowling Green’s colors, too, by the way. 🙂
I have to agree with you, the Indians have to adjust this Wahoo. If something offends Native Americans, or First Nation people, as now many are starting to be called I am noticing, then it must be ended by sports teams, plain and simple. No arguing about tradition or we don’t mean it that way. It doesn’t matter. It is offends one race, it should offend all races. That’s how I feel about it. I know if there were people who thought a team should continue to be called the Cleveland Polacks, I sure would be steamed about it.
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I don’t really follow college ball, but my pro team is the Steelers. Gotta love the bumblebee look when they pull out the throwback uniforms.
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I do like the whole concept of the NFL throwback look, Jeanette. And the Steelers’ bumblebee is pretty darn special, agreed.
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I’m not much of football fan but it never ceases to amaze me how a simple change of uniforms can change the attitude enough to influence how the game goes.
Well described and interesting read Mark. Thank You.
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It does influence the players and the fans, and the fans influence the players even more. Snowball effect. Amazing it is. Thanks, Paul.
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I know how much it costs just to order a custom T-shirt, so all I can think about is the enormous waste in buying all new outfits. In the thousands! That could go to do so much good. Think how many stadium nachos and beers that could buy someone. Like five.
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I do not buy jerseys of any sort, Kerbey, just T-shirts and long-sleeve T-shirts and sweat shirts that make their way to the discount racks. Can’t pull the trigger on gear much over 20 bucks. You are correct on the price of stadium food and drink, too. That, however …
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It’s amazing to me how big college football is in the States. My Facebook page is full of excitement for it from my American friends! ❤
Diana xo
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Yes, we get into it down here. And right now I am going to MY Facebook page to send you a friend request!
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I accepted!!!!!
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No matter how whacky the Maryland uniforms get, they’re still a step up from Oregon’s.
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Oregon sets the bar for out-there, and Maryland tries to jump over it. Truly, Maryland has some really U-G-L-Y uniforms, and it pains me to say that about my alma mater, Snoozer.
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I have trouble with change sometimes, Mark. I had no trouble with this post. And, I’m glad you’re on my team.
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I am on your team, Ann, although I heard rumors that you change your uniform every day. Go Koplow!
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How do these rumors get started, Mark? Thanks for the cheer, though.
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